The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-11-02
A. T. STEWARDS BODY.
superintendent walliog Tells What 1
Knows of the Famous Theft.

Walliog Tells What He
Knows of the Famous Theft.
New YORK. October 29-The mystery
which has so long envel0ped the fate of the
body of the millionaire dry goods dealer
Alexander I. Stewart, forms the subject of
a chapter in Superintendent George Wal
ling's book, 1.-The Recollections OF New
York Chief OF Police" which is soon to be
published. The superintendent pro-
fesses to give the only true story Of the
stealing of the body, and also alleges that
the body was subsequently returned to rep
resentatiyes of Judge Hilton. The remains
were buried in st. Marks church yard,
corner of Second avenue and Tenth street,
in an underground vault, the entrance to
which was covered by hagstone, which,
In turn. was sodded over with the sur
rounding surface, so that there was no
outward evidence of its location. Judge
Hilton had discovered evidences that the
vault had been tempered with, and set
watch: Int as nothing further trsnspired.
the watch was Withdrawn, and three
nights later, that is, on the night of No.
yFmber Is, or the morning of November I,
1878, the vault was broken opens and
the remains stolen. Judge Hilton
was firmly of the opinion
that the Sc xton or his assistant had
guilty knowledge OF the transaction; but
this was never shown. The judge at once
offered a reward of $25 900 for the return
OF the body and the conviction of the grave
robbers.
The first clue came from Gen. Patrick
Jones, ex-postmsster of New York, Who
notified WalliDg that an ex-soldier who
served under him claimed to know some
thing about the Stewart body. and with
proper encouragement would give informs
ton leading to Its recovery. The superinten-
dent submitted the offer to Judg Hilton.
who declared be wonld never pay one cent
for Mr.. Stewards bones unless they came
accompanied by the thieves in irons
General Jones was persistent and wanted
TO work up the case and arrange for buy
ing The body. He showed letters from 'he
thieves, and few days later gave to the
police package expressed to him from
Boston containing a coffin plate which
YVES identified by the epgrayer who had
done the work. To complete their identi-
foation the robbers sent a piece of paper
that fitted exactly the hole of the velvet
cover of the coffin cut out by the thieves
when the body was removed. This is now
in the hands of Sexton Hamill, and the
coffin plate is at police headquarters.
Judge Hilton remained unalterable, and
the case was dropped by the authorities,
but continued by private detectives. Mrs
Stewart differed with her counsel and
strongly wished to recover the body.
Learning this fact the robbers opened cor
respondence with her directly. No trace
OF the body or thieves was found until
January, 1882, when Gen. Jones called at
headquarters. He brought with him a
psrcel which contained the silver knobs
and several of the handles belonging to
the coffin in which the body had been
buried. He also showed some
1 Aa1 I'D
They purporisd to have been
written in Canada, and were signed
by "Henry G. Romaine." With the lirst
letter hundred dollar bill was enclosed
| ss O retainer for him to act a. attorney OF
the body upon the payment of $3.50, 600
! The letter then went on to tell the hour oil
which the body WAS taken; how it wa'